Summary
Werner Freiherr von und zu Gilsa (4 March 1889 – 8 May 1945) was a German general in the Wehrmacht during World War II, whose last assignment was as military commandant of Dresden.
Werner von Gilsa | |
|---|---|
 Werner von Gilsa, June 1940 | |
| Born | 4 March 1889 Berlin, German Empire |
| Died | 8 May 1945 (aged 56) Leitmeritz, Nazi Germany |
| Allegiance |  German Empire Weimar Republic  Nazi Germany |
| Service/ | Army |
| Rank | General der Infanterie |
| Commands held | LXXXIX Army Corps, Military commander of Dresden |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves |
In 1936 he was the commander of the olympic village for the 1936 Summer Olympics. From 1 April 1941 to 4 April 1943, Gilsa was commander of the 216th Infantry Division. In the winter of 1941/42 the division was sent to the Eastern Front. Gilsa was promoted to General of Infantry on 1 July 1943. From 11 June 1943 to 23 November 1944 he was Commanding General of the LXXXIX Army Corps, which took part in the Battle of the Scheldt, from 2 October to 8 November 1944. Gilsa was Military Commander of Dresden from 15 March to May 1945. At the end of the war, Gilsa committed suicide.
Awards and decorations edit
- Iron Cross (1914) 1st Class (18 October 1914) & 1st Class (14 May 1915)[1]
- Clasp to the Iron Cross (1939) 2nd Class (14 September 1939) & 1st Class (21 October 1939)[1]
- Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves
- Knight's Cross on 5 June 1940 as Oberst and commander of Infanterie-Regiment 9
- 68th Oak Leaves on 24 January 1942 as Generalmajor and commander of 216. Infanterie-Division
References edit
Citations edit
Bibliography edit
- Dost, Susanne. Das Olympische Dorf 1936 im Wandel der Zeit, Neddermeyer, Berlin 2003, ISBN 3-933254-12-4
- Lehrer, Steven (2002). Hitler Sites: A City-by-city Guidebook (Austria, Germany, France, United States). McFarland. p. 224. ISBN 0-7864-1045-0.
- Lehrer, Steven (2006). The Reich Chancellery and Führerbunker Complex: An Illustrated History of the Seat of the Nazi Regime. McFarland. p. 214. ISBN 0-7864-2393-5.
- Scherzer, Veit (2007). Die Ritterkreuzträger 1939–1945 Die Inhaber des Ritterkreuzes des Eisernen Kreuzes 1939 von Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm sowie mit Deutschland verbündeter Streitkräfte nach den Unterlagen des Bundesarchives [The Knight's Cross Bearers 1939–1945 The Holders of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross 1939 by Army, Air Force, Navy, Waffen-SS, Volkssturm and Allied Forces with Germany According to the Documents of the Federal Archives] (in German). Jena, Germany: Scherzers Militaer-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-938845-17-2.
- Thomas, Franz (1997). Die Eichenlaubträger 1939–1945 Band 1: A–K [The Oak Leaves Bearers 1939–1945 Volume 1: A–K] (in German). Osnabrück, Germany: Biblio-Verlag. ISBN 978-3-7648-2299-6.
